Urtica dioica L.

Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle, nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia

Synonyms 45

Urtica angustifolia, Urtica bracteola, Urtica cypria, Urtica eckloniana, Urtica foliosa, Urtica galeopsifolia, Urtica glabrata, Urtica haussknechtii, Urtica hispida, Urtica hispidula, Urtica pubescens, Urtica sicula, Urtica sikokiana, Urtica sondenii, Urtica submitis, Urtica tibetica, Urtica xiphodon, Urtica dioica subsp. angustifolia, Urtica dioica subsp. galeopsifolia, Urtica dioica subsp. hispida, Urtica dioica subsp. xingjiangensis, Urtica gracilis subsp. sondenii, Urtica angustifolia var. sikokiana, Urtica dioica var. androgyna, Urtica dioica var. carpatica, Urtica dioica var. cordifolia, Urtica dioica var. curvidens, Urtica dioica var. elegans, Urtica dioica var. galeopsifolia, Urtica dioica var. hermaphrodita, Urtica dioica var. hispidula, Urtica dioica var. horrida, Urtica dioica var. inermis, Urtica dioica var. lamiifolia, Urtica dioica var. latifolia, Urtica dioica var. macrodonta, Urtica dioica var. microphylla, Urtica dioica var. mirabilis, Urtica dioica var. monoica, Urtica dioica var. montana, Urtica dioica var. parvifolia, Urtica dioica var. pilosa, Urtica dioica var. pseudobalearica, Urtica dioica var. pubescens, Urtica dioica var. ramosa

2,234,713 GBIF occurrences
158,642 iNaturalist observations

Conservation status code

Conservation: status label

Least Concern

Conservation: population trend

Stable

Conservation: year assessed

2026

IUCN Red List page

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/167815/209143213

Habitats

IUCN: population narrative

Common Nettle is widespread and abundant throughout its European range.

IUCN: habitat narrative

The species is strongly associated with nutrient-rich, organic soils. It occurs in a very wide range of natural habitats, particularly wet woodland and river banks and fens, but also in disturbed ground such as scrub, grasslands, hedgerows, roadsides, cultivated and waste ground (Castroviejo et al. 1993, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland 2024).

IUCN: threats narrative

There are no known past, ongoing or future threats to this species.

IUCN: conservation narrative

There are no conservation measures in place or needed.The species is represented by 120 germplasm accessions held at European institutions (EURISCO 2024) and is included in the living collection of at least 130 botanical gardens (BGCI 2024). It occurs in many protected areas, including Natura 2000 sites (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2024, GBIF.org 2024).

IUCN: rationale

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)This species is classed as Least Concern for both Europe and for the EU27 Member States as it is widespread with stable populations and does not face any major threats.

Related species

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